If you're looking for a much-needed break from work but think a few days isn't enough, you're in luck.
There's not a lot of bank holidays left for this year, with one of them occurring today (August 2), but there's a trick you need to look out for - and one that can be used this bank holiday.
By booking just four days off this week, it will mean you actually get nine days away from work. Of course some people must book holidays in advance - but there's also a trick for getting 11 days off next year.
However, if you can take off days last minute, or want to remember this for next time, it may be worth taking note.
It involves strategically booking off August 3 to 6 following today's public holiday. This means that you will have a total of five days off, but taking into account the weekends either side, you’ll be on holiday for a total of nine days - using only four days of annual leave.
There's also a trick for next year too.
If you book off December 27 - 31, using up just five days of annual leave, Scots are then off on January 3 and 4 as bank holidays.
If you add in the weekends before and after - a total of four days - that means a whopping 11 days off work before heading back after Christmas and the new year.
Scotland has had nine public holidays in 2021 whilst England and Wales only have seven. Northern Ireland will has the most with 10.
Next year will include an extra one on June 3 to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Luckily if a bank holiday falls on a weekend in Scotland, a 'substitute' weekday becomes a bank holiday. This would take place the Monday after the original date, assuming it doesn't clash with anything.
Scotland's Bank Holidays for the rest of 2021 and 2022:
2021:
- August 2 - Summer bank holiday
November 30 - St Andrew's Day
December 27 - Christmas Day (substitute day)
December 28 - Boxing Day (substitute day)
Did you know: The UK once had 33 official holidays on the calendar which were made up mostly of saints days and religious celebrations. However this was abolished by law in 1834.
2022:
- January 3 - New Year's Day (substitute day)
- January 4 - 2 January (substitute day)
- April 15 - Good Friday
- May 2 - Early May bank holiday
- June 2 - Spring bank holiday
- June 3 - Platinum Jubilee bank holiday
- August 1 - Summer bank holiday
- November 30 - St Andrew's Day
- December 26 - Boxing Day
- December 27 - Christmas Day (substitute day)
